Hooray, Superman gets "brash" and "brooding"--at least we still have Cap

From DC's The Source we get press-friendly news about Superman's new status come September, including his very own "One More Day"-style marriage annulment (starring Barry Allen in the role of Mephisto, I'm sure), news that his alien nature will be emphasized over the quest for humanity (at least in Action Comics, which tells stories of his early days as Superman), and this wonderful nugget:

Timeless and modern, classic and contemporary, but younger, brasher and more brooding, this is Superman. The New Man of Tomorrow.

I wonder how "brash and brooding" (never mind "more" brooding--he wasn't brooding in the first place!) is going to sit alongside "noble and heroic." Oh wait--I think I know. (And remember, Supergirl will reportedly be much worse.) Tomorrow ain't looking so bright, my friends... but we do have collars and knee pads, "these are a few of my favorite things." (Ha!)

Ironic that we have to turn to Marvel, the home of brash and brooding, to find a prominent example of "old-fashioned" nobility among superheroes: Steve Rogers, once again Captain America. (If you have not checked out Brubaker and McNiven's new Captain America #1, out last Wednesday, be sure you do.) Even though I'm a lifelong DC fan at heart, I'm starting to say "Make Mine Marvel" a lot more often these days...

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By the way, be sure to check out my chapter on Captain America and modesty in the new free Kindle book, Superheroes: The Best of Philosophy and Pop Culture, just released by Wiley (see more here). Also in it: a new chapter on mercy and punishment in Asgard, my original chapter on whether Batman should kill the Joker, and much more...

And did I mention this is my 100th post at the new Comics Professor site? Please, no gifts--no, really--but spread the word far and wide...

Comments

[Charles]

So I guess "brash and brooding" is this decade's "dark and gritty" (sometimes I miss the 80s). If I wait long enough, maybe the 90s will be back and we'll have "edgy and extreme" (and gigantic shoulder-pads) again.

Congrats on the 100th post.

[Mark D. White]

Well, Supes does have his kneepads. (And thanks, Charles!)